Saturday, January 23, 2010

Now I know the title has your interest peaked! Mathematical equation on your plate! you are probably thinking you don't want the plate if it comes with an equation... or if you are more like me, then you are torn between two of the things you like a lot - mathematics and cooking! But don't worry this is a very beautiful mathematics equation which is super tasty and is not intimidating at-all.. okay okay, before you think this girl has lost her mind, let me explain :)

Have you ever heard of fractals? I first learnt about them a few years ago when I happened to stumble across a TV documentary (NOVA) about fractals and since then I have been so amazed with these little known mathematical phenomenon that even on my food blog I can't stop ranting about them :) Fractal is any geometric shape that can be split into multiple small shapes and each of the smaller shape will be an exact replica of the original shape! Now you can inturn split the smaller shapes into even more tinier shapes and they will still be the replica of the original image.. fractals have this recursive self-similarity which makes them so very unique and so very beautiful! Wikipedia has a very good article about fractals here with some of the most beautiful fractal images. If mathematics has ever come so close to beauty, this is it!!!

Now before you wonder where exactly this girl is going with fractals and dry sabzi, let me tell you the connecting link: today's ingredient, romanescos, are among the most admired natural fractals (others are snowflakes, cauliflowers, tree leaves)! There are just so many examples of fractals in the nature, only if we know to look for them :) Look at the picture of romanescos at the end of this post (its a cross between broccoli and cauliflower) and you will know what I mean! Food on your plate can be derived by a mathematical equation, food for thought indeed, right!

(Follow the read more link below for the rest of the recipe...)

Romanescos are a cross between broccoli and cauliflower. They are known for their most beautiful structure and a pale green color. I was first attracted to them in my farmer's market because of their beauty. The vendor gave me a small piece to taste and it tasted very much like cauliflwers. So I bought a bunch and cooked them the way I usually cook my broccoli with potatoes sabzi.

Recipe: Romanesco potatoes dry sabzi

Source: Something simple I put together.

Ingredients:

1 Romanesco - chopped into smaller pieces

2 medium size russet potatoes

3 green chilis

3 cloves of garlic
1tsp cumin seeds

1/4tsp turmeric powder

1tsp coriander powder

1tsp dried kasoorti methi

oil

Garnish: lime juice & chili flakes, salt-pepper to sprinkle on top

Chop romanesco and potatoes into byte sized pieces.

Steam romanesco pieces for around 7-8mins (more or less depending on the size of the pieces and the amount of romanesco). Don't let it get mushy.. when it comes out of the steamer it should be al-dente (it will cook a bit more with potatoes). Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat 1Tbsp of oil. When the oil is hot temper with cumin seeds followed by chopped chili peppers and garlic and cook for a couple of minutes until fragrant.

Then add potatoes and turmeric and pan-fry (uncovered) for ~10 mins on medium high heat uncovered.

Add the steamed romanesco pieces to the potato mixture and cook (uncovered) for few more minutes; add kasoori methi, season with salt & pepper and drizzle a bit more of olive oil on top.

Serve with some fresh lime wedges and hot chapati!

Marvel at the mathematics in-built in nature while you eat :D okay, just enjoy!

You see I can not stop thinking about fractals whenever I am chopping a cauliflower or romanescos, I guess I can't stop writing about fractals either when I am blogging about them :) Some things never change, they say..... :D

Hey pj this is my first visit to ur blog...u have a very nice blog with awesome recipes...this romanesco stir fry with potatoes luks very attractive n delicious...nice recipe...and u hv explained the concept of fractels very nicely...i am following ur blog so that i can track all ur future recipes and comment on them...vl visit u often now.

Omigod PJ,this is so absolutely beautiful....Romanescos...what a lovely name though i never saw ur heard about this gorgeous one....Love ur take on mathematics on ur plate....thats cool....and the recipes good too!!!HAve a fantastic brite weekend...

Jagruti, thanks! They taste very much like cauliflower but are just very pretty and colorful. Do try them if you find them in any farmers market/whole food stores.

Ruchika, thanks! I know, I love using romaescos for their pretty effects to the plate! Aha, Indian reality TV isn't something I am following very closely, but looks like a lot of the concept has propped up recently.

Siddhi, welcome to my blog! I am glad you enjoyed your first visit here and look forward to many more! I am off to visit yours now,.

A2Z vegetarian cuisine, thanks! I am so glad you liked the recipe and the fractals :)

wow...these are so adorable..i would probably just like to see them than having on the plate !!! You know what an another interesting phenomenon called Chaos theory which say a flutter of butterfly wings can cause cyclones in other parts of the world...uffffffff....the subji looks great !!!

Priya, thanks! Do give this veggie a try if you find it nearby.. it tastes like cauliflower but is just so beautiful!

SE, I know! I struggled with eating them for a while too :) Interesting info about Chaos theory, I just looked it up along-with butterfly effect on wiki; its amazing how such small irrelevant events have such far-reaching consequences.. science at its best really.. Thanks for sharing!

I have never seen this vegetable at all,first time am hearing the name romanesco,just the name of it sounds so interesting then the taste must be really good too .....so beautiful and lovely pale green colour veggie...ill see whether i can get this and will try ur recipe with it..thanks for sharing it PJ

Jhonny, I so agree with you! All the time I am prepping romanescos, fractals and the beauty of the recurrance pattern is all on my mind (more so than recipe sometimes :D) I am so glad you liked the post.

Sushma, I know, the name does sound very spanish regalic vegetable name to me :D It is a cross between broccoli and cauliflower; hope you find it closeby!

Padhu, thanks! I am so glad you liked the post. Yes, they are a bit hard to find particularly in regular supermarket grocery stores.

Indo, very good question.. I looked around a little bit and looks like they were first references in Italy in 1600's (http://www.allotment.org.uk/vegetable/romanesco/index.php); the vendor told me this is a cross between broccoli and cauliflower; but now I am wondering if he meants cross in a more generalized way; that is it tastes more like a cross instead of it being a genetic cross.. I'll ask him next Saturday at farmer's market again :)

Deepa, thanks! Isn't this the most beautiful math that you have ever seen! I so much like to just look at it. My Mama at Banglore seems to have used them but I agree, they are more hard to find.

Hi PJ, thanks for visiting my blog and leaving such a nice comment! Romanesco is one of my favorite vegetables and the biggest disappointment in my garden this year, I just couldn't get it started in time. I can't believe that I actually have to buy it this year. Your recipe looks delicious and I would love to try it. I'm not familiar with kasoorti methi though, could you tell me what it is?

Love your photos! I'm going to have to look around your blog a bit more.

Michelle, thanks! I am so glad you liked my blog and the recipes! I very much enjoyed browsing through your vegetable garden and the fresh new veggie varieties that you had cooking. Kasoor methi is dried fenugreek. This is pretty much an optional ingredient which you can easily skip or substitute fresh fenugreek, if you have that growing in your garden :)

Rachana, thanks! I am so glad you liked the post, recipe and the math behind the romanescos :) I had fun writing about it!

Sonia, you are too nice, girl! Thanks so much for your kind words as always... honestly, I just have an addiction of trying new vegetables that my husband regularly comments on, but see, he can't complain because he gets to taste all the new veggies prepared for him every week :)

loved your post... i can trust an engineer to come up with such interesting mathematical facts. fractals! yes the romanescoes are a fascinating looking vegetable. i've never eaten one though... only looked at it from faaar. i first saw them in the early 2000 (in delhi) where the local vegetable seller was selling them as chinese gobhi. must be its pagoda like structure! and since then ive been thinking yaar ye chinese ke vegetables bhi chinese lagte hain. i stand corrected over the years :P

this is why God is known to be the best Artist. what a pretty, perfectly shaped vegetable. I would have never known such a beautiful vegetable exists without your post. love it PJ and the curry is as usual nutritious and tasty.

Rajani, thanks! Interesting that you mention you saw this in Delhi.. I was wondering if these are available just in US or can be found in India also.. thats great! Pagodika naam to ekdam fit lagta hai is veggi ke liye :)

Sayantani, thanks! I so agree with you, God is the greatest of the creatures and the most beautiful artist ever known! Imagine the amazement of the scientist who found out fractals mathematically and then realized they have been there all around him buried in everyday things of nature :)

PJ, thanks! Isn't this the most beautiful and the most non-scary math ever! I am so glad you liked it.

Whoa PJ, What a post. Dil khush Ho gaya. But I guess I'm late with my comments. I have never heard abt Romanescos. But with ur informative and beautiful post. I know abt these beauties. Awesome Clicks and yummylicious inviting subzi. I have to confess when u sd Mathematics on a plate..I was ready to run a mile away..lol.I'm glad I stayed and got to read abt these fractals.

Joanne, agree, there really can be such a thing as so much of a subject! that happened to me and Biology; I liked it until I just hated it :) Nature can really be so artistic, right! I am so glad you liked the post!

Thanks PJ for your sweet words , it meant a lot!!Now this romanesco is a new name to me but interestingly i have them in my garden right now n i thought some of the broccoli are less green because of less sunlight....how stupid i am ...will post a few pictures of them soon..

Dear PJ,OMG, that's such a beauty. God is great with it's creations. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about fractals, great info, will ask S to read about it, he enjoys reading all this stuff.Coming to ur recipe, I like aloo gobhi with kasoori methi so can imagine the taste. I am still wondering how am I so late to comment...lazy me I guess. :-)

I never knew vegetables come in so many different forms and shapes! I think if i follow ur blog regularly I would gradually get to know all of those available in US atleast! Your blog is very informative! Right now i feel like a newbie...dont even know the names of most veggies u mention here :D..someday hopefully.....!

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